Washington (CNN) -- Friday's government report showing a rise in unemployment shines a light on a new hurdle facing young people in need of work: The military isn't the reliable source of employment that it used to be. The Army and Marine Corps are getting smaller, and now there's a nearly year-long waiting list just to get into boot camp, no matter which branch you want to join. The shrinking Army and Marine Corps are part of a long-planned reduction in the size of the armed forces. But the backlog for enlistees is a new issue. Incoming recruits will spend quite a bit of time before they see a Pentagon paycheck.

That, in some ways, is a good thing for the

OPTIONS:
- Army, because it allows the services to choose the best possible candidates to defend our country.
- CNN, because it allows the services to choose the best possible candidates to defend our country.
- Marine Corps, because it allows the services to choose the best possible candidates to defend our country.
- Pentagon, because it allows the services to choose the best possible candidates to defend our country.
- Washington, because it allows the services to choose the best possible candidates to defend our country.


Pentagon, because it allows the services to choose the best possible candidates to defend our country.